The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-04-16
BEECHER,S CAREER.
The Late Plymouth Pastors AutoblOgr

history can be no better told than IN his
own words, given not quite a year ago;
81 WAS present, of course" he said,
"when | was born, but | haven't the
slightest recollection of the event. L
learned subsequently that it was at
'Litchlield on June a, 1878 My child
'hood was perhaps no different from
that OF others seventy years ago. The
little ones in those days were not given
the consideration that is now accorded
them, and properly so, too. A litera-
turo for children was not dreamed Of.
There were no children's festivals and
holidays; no Christmas and New Year 5
parties. The only time that brought
us any especial favor was Thanksgiv-
ing, when the New England house,
wives We'd with one another in the
composition of unique pics in limitless
quantity.
"And so Twas let alone. My father
was kept busy with his pastoral duties,
and my mother had so many other chill
odren to attend to that little attention
was paid to me. Still, wa not lone
some. was not fond of reading, but l
used TO like to tramp about the woods
and down by the bro ks among the
fens and brakes. | would go on a hunt
for sweet-tag and sassafras, and 1
knew just where to find the squirrels.
: found plenty to do.
Occasionally the paternal govern
ment would reach; sometimes my
father would whip me. remember
that he used to tell me that the whip
ping hurt him more than it did me.
ltwas hard to believe. because he was
strong man, but [ believed it, and it
used TO make me cry to be told so; then
of course had to cry when the whip
ping began, and all in all, those were
very dolcful episodes
About this time" he said in his
droll way, my family woke up to the
fact that | needed looking AFTER" and
he was sent to Hartford aud placed un-
der the charge of his sister, who was
principal of the girls school there. He
was the only boy among forty girls,
and this perhaps dampencd his ardor
for knowledge, for he declared that his
time there was also misspont. He was
shortly sent to- the Latin school, and
that oppressed him. He was restless
and strangely unhappy. Of this period
III his life he said;
my father let me read the stories of
Nelson and Clptain Cook. The adj
venture fever that often seizes bows
took hold of me. | had all sorts of
fancy-drawn pictures of what might
do in the junglcs and deserts of the
, Orient.
Il used to lounge about the docks
and wharves in Boston and listen to the
shouts of the sailors and watch the
great merchantmen make ready for
their voyage to the Indies. At last l
could stand it no longer, determined
to 60 to sea and had actually made all
arrangements when my father discov-
cred my purpose by chance.
"He did not oppose me, strange as it
may seem. He advised me to 90 to
Mount Pleasant Academy, at Amherst,
and prepare myself by the study of
navigation and mathematics for Il sea-
faring life. And to Mount Pleasant
went, and in little while forgot all
n out my buyish freak. There | did
study, and when l left was fitted to
enter Amherst College. At college
STUDIED what l liked and didn't study
what l didn't like
At the age of twenty-one Mr.. Beech
Ier received his degree, and went to
Lane Seminary, at Cincinnati, to study
theology. Graduating from that insti-
tuition he went to Lawrcnccburg, lit
tie place on the Ohio river, and preach.
cd to his first congregation. OF this
dismal beginning of his illustrious ca
Ucer he said:
''How poor we were!
"lhere were only about twenty per.
sons in the flock. was janitor as wei
as pastor of the little whitewashed
church. l bought some lamps and
filled them and lighted them. l swept
The church and busted the benches and
kindled the fire, and didn't ring the
bell only because there wasn't any.
,"Well, my next lOve was to Indian
epolis. There had a moro consider
able congregation, though 1 was still
far from ch in the worlds goods
remember very well how | borrowed
paint pot and brushes and gave m,
house fresh coat-it was yellow,
believe. b the ague shook us out 0
Che State. My wife's health gave wa,
and we W re forced TO come East"
His wife, TO whom he Lere alludes
was born at West Sutton, Worces e
County, Mass, in 1912. She was O
English descent. Her father, DR.. BuI
lard, was a physician. Her m ,ide
name was Eunice White Billiard. Sh